


Known Livestock of the Underground

by ArgentDandelion



Series: Livestock of the Underground [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Bugs & Insects, Food, Gen, Giant Spiders, Industries of the Underground, Livestock, Nonfiction, Spiders, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-19 17:00:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20213200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentDandelion/pseuds/ArgentDandelion
Summary: Covers the most likely livestock of the Underground, their viability as livestock, and byproducts.





	1. Introduction & Spiders

Whatever livestock monsters have must be livestock they brought with them when sealed underground, livestock from naturally existing cave fauna, or livestock that fell into the Underground at some point.

If Bratty’s comment on monsters being sealed “[millennia ago](http://nochocolate.tumblr.com/post/142636312485/peppermintbee-the-pre-undertale-timeline)” is accurate rather than hyperbole, monsters have been sealed for a minimum of 2,000 years. Therefore, whatever livestock they have must be livestock that existed as of 2,000 years ago.

The trouble with calculating this is that different areas and cultures have different livestock. For example, some cultures in the Middle East 2,000 years ago may have had pigs as livestock, but others wouldn’t, due to differing religions. Furthermore, just because llamas were livestock as of 2,000 years ago, doesn’t mean the whole world has the option of llamas as livestock.

Many species of livestock/cultivated animals, even if cultivated by monsters prior to the War of Humans and Monsters, would be unsuited for life underground. Specifically, this would be animals that require a lot of food, food of a type the Underground doesn’t have, or a lot of space.

In this setting, it’s likely real meat (other than snails) is a rarity: even the expensive luxury good [Steak in the Shape of Mettaton’s Face](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fundertale.wikia.com%2Fwiki%2FSteak_in_the_Shape_of_Mettaton%2527s_Face&t=MTA4MTliMDhlNmZhNTJkOTRmMGU4ODhiNmU2YjUzNTAxY2Q2MTRiZiw3dDVIVmVaWQ%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177495391111%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-introduction&m=1) is apparently not made of real meat. Thus, it’s likely monsters are mostly vegetarian, or eat simulacra of meat that’s synthesized[1](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177495391111/known-livestock-of-the-underground-introduction#fn:1) from magic.

* * *

**Spiders**

Muffet’s bake sale goods use “[whole spiders, not just the juice](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fundertale.wikia.com%2Fwiki%2FSpider_Cider&t=ZTQyZjM5MjQyZTU1MzExZDJmMGNlN2E4ZDM2NWEwNjZlN2ZmYTU3NywwR1RtaUxCaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177498348951%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders&m=1)” as ingredients. It is unclear whether these “spiders” are extremely large, likely domesticated regular spiders, some variety of magical spider, or, in fact, a spider monster.[2](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177498348951/known-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders#fn:1) While the third option may seem implausible, as monsters turn to dust when they die, nothing says monster dust is inedible. The dust may be a powder mixed into a liquid, like lemonade, and incorporated into another food.

**Viability as Livestock**

Based on [Seriousans](http://japhers.tumblr.com/post/132986591889/seriousans-kuroottsurou-i-made-an-undertale/amp)’ sprite size calculations, Muffet is 157 cm (5'2") tall. (calculated from the top of her head) It would take 19 ½ of the telegram spiders, stacked on top of each other, to reach the top of Muffet’s head. Thus, Muffet’s spiders are ~8.05 cm tall, plus or minus 2.5 cm according to the margin of error provided by Seriousans. (Spiders are generally measured in width or length, though, suggesting Muffet’s spiders are very tall) As they are remarkably (improbably) square-shaped, they are also roughly 8.05 cm long/wide. (It’s unclear which direction they’re facing)

[Goliath birdeater spiders](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGoliath_birdeater%23Habitat&t=ZTAwYzg3YjYxNTU0ZDRlYTQ1YTU4MTUyMGQ1MWM4ZWI2ZTdhY2IxYiwwR1RtaUxCaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177498348951%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders&m=1), the largest spiders in the world by mass and size (which is also edible) have a body length of 11.9 cm.[3](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177498348951/known-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders#fn:2) Thus, if Muffet’s spiders are indeed regular spiders (if possibly specially bred for size), they are biologically plausible and thus compatible with real-world measurements.

Raising such small livestock for meat might seem economically nonviable, but people do make businesses off raising mealworms and house crickets for pet food and insect flour. Mealworms are [2.5 cm long](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMealworm&t=YWE2MGU5OTZjNThjNWU3YWM1Nzc1NTUzMzI1OThmMjQ2NWNjNTgyZiwwR1RtaUxCaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177498348951%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders&m=1) and house crickets (_[Acheta domesticus](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FHouse_cricket&t=NTNjNjJiNWZkYmQxNzNmZjAyM2IxMWM4MmFkMjJiNmQ1Y2ZmYmViOSwwR1RtaUxCaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177498348951%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders&m=1)_) are 1.6-2.1 cm long, so raising spiders 5.55-10.55 cm long for meat is certainly worthwhile, particularly if it’s a limited-time-only fundraiser.

**Byproducts**

Spiders may be worthwhile livestock even when not raised for meat. Spider silk is famous for its immense strength and flexibility, so making clothes and body armor out of it is an obvious application. If it’s like silkworm silk, it could be used as an [edible film](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fnow.tufts.edu%2Fnews-releases%2Fsilk-keeps-fruit-fresh-without-refrigeration&t=M2E4MTc1NmJiMGQ3N2EzM2QxNjQ3OWFjMjRlYzNiMTk3NjMxMmYyZiwwR1RtaUxCaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177498348951%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders&m=1) in food packaging. (Most useful if, historically, the Underground’s food supply could spoil, as “monster food” doesn’t spoil in the game itself)  
Again assuming it’s like silkworm silk, hydrolyzed (essentially, digested via cooking) silk protein could be useful as a [food](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fciteseerx.ist.psu.edu%2Fviewdoc%2Fdownload%3Fdoi%3D10.1.1.584.9621%26rep%3Drep1%26type%3Dpdf&t=OTJhOTVjZmIzZDQzNTg4YmJkNjEyYTEyMGNmOTk1M2FhZWEzNWJkNiwwR1RtaUxCaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177498348951%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders&m=1) [additive](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fpdfs.semanticscholar.org%2F56ab%2Ff1b938613e478f55b2c59accb23d10ad2c62.pdf&t=MDQ2NTZhNWE0YTRlNThjMmU1MDAwODI5MTk4ZTQwNTJiOTBjMWVjYywwR1RtaUxCaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177498348951%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders&m=1). Given the several other possible uses of spider silk, in sufficient quantity (with few other livestock options) raising spiders would make for a viable business.

* * *

  1. The author presumes Star Trek-style food synthesizers are involved, but this is speculative. There is no data on whether physical matter is turned into magic food or magic is somehow crafted into magical food. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177495391111/known-livestock-of-the-underground-introduction#fnref:1)
  2. The spiders clap along with the music, deliver telegrams, and hold up signs. This doesn’t prove they’re sentient spider monsters, though: they could just be highly trained. The biggest factor supporting the possibility they’re sentient magic spiders/spider monsters is that they seem to mourn their dead. If Muffet is killed, a spider will come to the spot where she died, pause there, and scurry away. Its returns with a flower, which it deposits on the spot, and then runs away. Things that mourn their dead are generally considered sentient. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177498348951/known-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders#fnref:1)

  3. Using the [Thai zebra spider](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCyriopagopus_albostriatus&t=ODhiMTNjODJlYmNlNjUxNTE2NzQ1NjhjNjVkZjcyN2I2ZmY2Y2JiOCwwR1RtaUxCaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177498348951%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-spiders&m=1), also simply called “the edible spider”, would be a better comparison, but unfortunately data is lacking on that species.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [Tumblr](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/). Feel free to comment on this article there or here.


	2. Snails

**History**

Snails are indisputably eaten Underground, both as livestock and (possibly) as wild snails.[1](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177744132764/known-livestock-of-the-underground-snails#fn:1)This is unsurprising, for many snails are edible and they’ve been eaten for a long time. (since prehistoric times, in fact)

Indeed, the ancient Romans considered them a delicacy, raising them domestically in special pens. This is not mere trivia: the architecture in the game’s introduction, as well as the architecture of Home, resemble Greek and Ancient Roman [architecture.](http://coffeelemental.tumblr.com/post/175829290517/on-the-setting-of-undertale-hint-its-probably) (Ancient Rome took a lot of architectural cues from Greece) This suggests monsters at least had some contact with Ancient Greece and/or Ancient Rome.[2](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177744132764/known-livestock-of-the-underground-snails#fn:2)

If it wasn’t common knowledge snails were edible before the first human-monster war, surely at least royalty (i.e., the Dreemurrs) would know about it, due to knowledge of other kingdoms and greater information access in general.

**Viability as Livestock**

Given the limited space naturally suited for snail-raising Underground, it’s rather convenient snails need [very little space](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fweb.wpi.edu%2FPubs%2FE-project%2FAvailable%2FE-project-032416-160443%2Funrestricted%2FHigherGroundFarmSnailIQP2016.pdf&t=ODE2MWM4ODg0Y2EwYzViMzI3ZDY0NzY2ODQ2YjhhYjdmZmY1Nzg1OCxhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1). Snail farms also [require little labor](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.utm.edu%2Fdepartments%2Fmsanr%2F_pdfs%2FOlaleye_Research_Project_Final.pdf&t=NTNjZWRkYjFjN2FiNTk5ZTljYjFjNzlkZTk5Mjg1YjA1ZWQ3OTg4YixhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1), with no strenuous physical exertion. Edible snails aren’t picky: they can eat a wide range of plants, and some species (e.g., _[Cornu aspersum](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCornu_aspersum&t=MGQ1ODkzMmE0ZDkyZDljMTY1Y2U3MjlmODgxOGU3MDZkNmZiMGEwMCxhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1)_) are also detritivores that eat rotting plant material or even scavenge. (The ecology of the Underground’s snails, and whether they’re related to known edible snail species, is unknown)

**Nutrition**

The snail pie Toriel serves in Hard Mode instead of butterscotch-cinnamon pie actually exists, and it’s likely fairly tasty and nutritious.   
In one [study](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencedaily.com%2Freleases%2F2009%2F11%2F091119101207.htm&t=NzUxZmZmZDJhMTFkZDU5ZTgwNGYxZTBiYWQ3YzQ1NDQ0ZTg3ZmI4NixhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1) that asked young mothers and their children to eat snail pies and beef pies, most of the participants preferred the snail pies. Snail meat is higher in protein and lower in fat than beef; one of the researchers claimed snail pie was more nutritious than beef pie. Additionally, another [study](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fpmc%2Farticles%2FPMC1559794%2F&t=ZGU2MDU5OGU2OGU1MGZiYWM4NTA0YTBlZmI0YmUwYzI2YjEyYTVmNSxhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1) on the nutritional levels of several African land snails showed the subjects’ meat was high in minerals.

**Lack of Popularity**

The fact Napstablook’s only customer is, [ostensibly](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fundertale.wikia.com%2Fwiki%2FBlook_Acres%23Snail_Farm&t=ZjQ0ZTNlYWQ1N2VkMzMyNzk5MzI2ODAyMjUyNzA2ZTE3YmEwODI4YSxhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1), Asgore, suggests snail meat is not very popular. It is likely snails were more commonly eaten historically, before diets were expanded through new foods falling in through the dump,[3](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177744132764/known-livestock-of-the-underground-snails#fn:3) or advances in food technology created new foods or varieties of food that replaced snail-eating.

**Possible Problems**

  
(Sure, snails don’t talk…but some monsters don’t talk either.)

As with Muffet’s spiders, it’s unclear whether the snails Napstablook raises are sentient. If one assumes the talking snails are actually snail monsters, evidently snail monsters aren’t bothered that snails are eaten. Still, some monsters (e.g., Moldsmal) do not talk, leaving the disquieting possibility Napstablook might accidentally kill snail monsters or theoretical sentient magic snails because they can’t talk.

**Byproducts**

Other than [slime facials](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffashion%2Fshortcuts%2F2017%2Ffeb%2F06%2Fsnail-slime-beauty-products-worth-shelling-out&t=NjkwNDkyZTU0ZWExYjhhMDE2ZGY5NDIzYWRlM2I4ZGQ1MTBhYzRjOCxhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1) (which might exist Underground[4](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177744132764/known-livestock-of-the-underground-snails#fn:4)), the only snail-raising byproduct is snail eggs, or “[snail caviar](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSnail_caviar&t=NzZjMTk1ODQzMzhiY2U2YTgwMTZkNTdlOTAyN2U1MGNhZjc4OGMzZCxhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1)”. According to Wikipedia’s article on the subject, snails typically produces four grams of eggs annually, which would likely lead to high prices and very limited supply. Depending on how many eggs are produced, it’s possible fish eggs (see later post) would be much more commercially viable, as caviar goes.

* * *

  1. Otherwise, how would Toriel get her snails? (While it’s possible there’s quite a stockpile in Home and she goes shopping for them, she only makes snail pie in Hard Mode, and in Hard Mode she doesn’t come back with groceries…though there’s also the possibility she had a can of snails lying around from a previous shopping trip.) [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177744132764/known-livestock-of-the-underground-snails#fnref:1)

  2. Unless of course _Undertale_ takes place in some subtle alternate history or involves [Fantasy Counterpart Cultures](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Ftvtropes.org%2Fpmwiki%2Fpmwiki.php%2FMain%2FFantasyCounterpartCulture&t=OWQyODlkMjYzYjFhNjBkNTI1ZjAyMWZhN2VlYWMzMDgyOTk3ODAxMCxhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1). [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177744132764/known-livestock-of-the-underground-snails#fnref:2)

  3. Such as [tomatoes](http://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/173937823896/crops-of-the-underground-known-types-of-plants), and possibly pumpkins. Tomatoes can survive a trip through the intestines and even[sewage treatment processing](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F2%2Fhi%2Fuk_news%2Fengland%2Fhumber%2F8239598.stm&t=ZTgyZDQxNDExNjNmZWNlMzY0ZWFhMjdlMjdhY2U3NjM1NGFmMmZmYSxhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1), while pumpkin seeds can germinate in compost bins. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177744132764/known-livestock-of-the-underground-snails#fnref:3)

  4. [Papyrus & Undyne Call Resource](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fpcy.ulyssis.be%2Fundertale%2Fcalls&t=MGM3OTNhZDVkMmFlZWIwNzBlOTYzMzRiODE3OThhOWViMWY2N2U1MCxhR05CWHR5Vg%3D%3D&b=t%3AHZZTbr56CX-Pu8cYzedJTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fargentdandelion.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F177744132764%2Fknown-livestock-of-the-underground-snails&m=1): “WELL, ONE TIME I WAS GIVING MYSELF THE SPA TREATMENT. I PUT THE LIME SLICES IN MY EYES, LIKE ON TV. BUT IT STINGS!! HOW DO THEY DO IT!?” [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/177744132764/known-livestock-of-the-underground-snails#fnref:4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [Tumblr](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/). Feel free to comment on this article there or here.


End file.
